In part one, we discussed how meditation could be used to help you lose weight. We explored your mindset and how mediation can help you to become aware of your thoughts so you can resist those temptations and urges.
Today, we’ll explore several steps to get you started on this road to turning meditation into a habit. Even after the first session you do, you’ll already start to feel a lot more confident in your decision-making skills.
#1 – Starting Off
The best way to get started with meditation is to jump straight into it and get started. Start by setting a time of day for your meditation.
However, it’s worth noting that meditation has been proven to be most effective when you wake up in the mornings. So, why not try doing it as the first thing you do when you wake up?
It doesn’t matter how long you meditate for when you get started. Do whatever you have time to do, whether it’s five, ten, twenty or thirty minutes. The longer, the better but you’ll be able to build it up over time.
There are plenty of blogs on this website or guides online that can show you how to get started with meditation.
#2 – Be Present When Eating
One of the main reasons we tend to overeat is because we’re not present when we do. For example, if you’re sitting having a meal, the chances are that you’re reading a newspaper, watching TV or scrolling through your smartphone.
This makes our brain miss the fact that we’re eating and makes us hungry later. Try sitting and eating with no distractions. Pay attention to every bite you have, all the tastes and all the smells. Really start to enjoy and notice the food that you’re eating.
#3 – Realise Your Weaknesses
As with any lifestyle change, there are going to be times when you’ll want to give in. For example, you might go to work, have a stressful meeting and, usually, this is when you’d resort to your cravings.
When a craving for food develops, try to pay attention to how you feel at the time. Are you nervous? Maybe you’re feeling stressed? Perhaps you’re tired or feeling a bit emotional?
For many of us, food has many emotional ties and is usually a comforting trait. Instead of eating, try to address how you’re feeling. This will become easier to address when you start getting into your habits of meditating.
#4 – Be Present with Your Decisions
When it gets to the point in the day when you’d normally have a snack, or maybe you’ve walked past a shop and want something to eat, ask yourself, are you really hungry?
Many of us are simply in the habit of snacking, and it’s been hardwired into our brains for several years. This is not an easy habit to break, and most of us now eat for the sake of it.
When the urge to eat at a time that isn’t a meal time comes up, use your meditative practices to become present. Ask your body, do I really need to eat this food? Am I really hungry or just eating because I can? Maybe there’s an emotional element involved? Your mind and body are constantly talking to you; it’s up to you to listen to it.
#5 – Set a Goal
Most of us find it very difficult to make new habits, especially when the ones we’re trying to break have been our lifestyle for the last few years. However, by setting a goal, we can become a lot more determined and motivated to reach that goal as it’s so rewarding to get there.
When it comes to this practice, try setting yourself a week goal. Try to eat mindfully through this week and practice meditation, if only for ten minutes a day, every day. Take it day by day but once you get to the end of the week successfully, check in with yourself and see how you feel.
More often than not, you’ll realise you’ll feel so much better about yourself. If you’ve been eating healthily, you should also notice a spike in your energy levels, as well as having better sleeping patterns and less stress.
If you’re feeling great, set yourself another week, and then another, and keep going until this becomes your lifestyle. You’ll thank yourself so much when you’re feeling better than you’ve felt in years!